SOLANKE SCORES FOR FINAL-BOUND YOUNG ENGLAND

Chelsea Academy striker Dominic Solanke netted his third goal of the European Under-17s Championship finals as England beat Portugal 2-0 in Sunday’s semi-final.

Both Solanke and Izzy Brown played the full game as the young England side bounced back from defeat in their final group game against Netherlands, and they will now contest Wednesday’s final against either the Dutch or Scotland.

Sixteen-year-old Solanke, who scored twice in Chelsea’s FA Youth Cup final win earlier in the month, opened the scoring in Malta on 52 minutes, controlling and finishing in style from a pass over the top of the defence.

Fulham’s Patrick Roberts, who also scored the FA Youth Cup final, doubled the advantage on 72 minutes against a Portuguese side who hit woodwork three times in the first half.

England have won this competition once since it became for Under-17 sides in 2002. That was in 2010 with a side containing Josh McEachran and Nathaniel Chalobah.